Room 271
by shad0wcast
Summary: Trying to live alone in the city by herself, Kahoko Hino gets her very own apartment room to live on...only to find out that the room was already inhabited by Tsukimori Len. Whose mistake was it and how will they fix this problem?
1. Part One

**Room 271**

**A/N: **And yes, I'm back writing the main canon pairing of the series. It's been a _long_ while since I've decided to write about them. Also, this time, I'm very dedicated to finish this one, no matter how long this might take. This will also include other pairings, canon or not but most probably, I'll be using canons.

**Disclaimer: **Oh, the usual things go here. KOEI and Kure Yuki will forever hold the ultimate power of ownership to these amazing characters.

**Part One**

_The wheels start to turn, tides rise and fall_

_Gears set in motion, schemes now unfurl_

_A random chance it seems to innocent eyes it gleams_

_A start indeed is here, the story of their dreams_


	2. The Room

**The Room**

Finally, she's here. Kahoko Hino took a deep breath once she stepped out of the station. Her childhood dream of being able to live by herself in the city has come true. The sound of a thousand footsteps on the cement floor embraced by the lively buzz of the traffic on the streets filled her tremendously but this time, she was exhilarated. She remembered when she was first introduced to city life when she was seven. Having been living by the border, the trip sparked her curiosity and cheerfulness. The huge and tall buildings that seemed to pierce the sky enthralled her innocence while the mass of people that bustled in a complex pattern intrigued her deeply. From that moment on, she vowed that she will live in this lively place.

With a childish grin on her face, she took her case and walked along the sidewalks, looking with wide and excited eyes the sights the city was offering her. She marveled at the architecture, the minimalism, the exactness and uniqueness of the environment. This was wonderland, she thought.

"Now, where were we?" she muttered to herself as she sat on a bench and took out a slip of paper from her pocket. On her transfer to this city, she has pre-arranged her lodging to lessen the issues she might encounter on the transition. She was so happy that even her neighbors were offering their help.

She read the address carefully so as not to make a mistake. She got up and hailed a taxi where she directed the driver to the said address. It wasn't a long drive and she took note of the signs and landmarks that they have passed on. It was already four in the afternoon and she thought of how she had planned on taking a walk around but decided to let it rest until tomorrow. She was a bit tired from the journey and she still had to meet up with the owner of the café she would be working on. The taxi stopped in front of a five-floored bricked building. True enough, it was a good spot since there was a nearby bus stop and the main intersection was a few meters away. She was practically in the center of the city.

"Hino-san?" an old man's voice called her from behind when she was about to knock on the front door. She spun and smiled at the friendly little man whose back was slightly arching from old age. "Yes?" she said after exchanging greetings. "I've been expecting your arrival. I am Tohno Haruto, the caretaker. Mrs. Yukimura, the owner, is out of town at the moment so I'll be the one in charge for the while." He introduced himself. Kahoko bowed at him once again and expressed her gratitude. "Come, let us get inside so you can sign the papers and get your key. It's getting a bit dark now." He said warmly, which reminded her of her grandfather back home. A small tug of loneliness struck her heart at the thought of her family. She would definitely miss their company.

The man led her to the first door upon entering. It was a small office with a neat desk. There were a couple of cabinets behind where the man took out some forms. "Have a seat." The man smiled at the chair in front of the desk. She did so and looked about while the man went to another drawer for some keys. "Mrs. Yukimura was glad to have you here. I heard that she and your neighbor were good friends so she asked me to take care of you while she's out of town." The man said, returning to sit on his chair. He took a pen and began to write on some of the boxes. "Ah, yes. Asamura-san told me about his friend in the city. I was really happy and lucky with all the help I got." She replied. "Yes, very lucky, indeed. We only have one room left and it's a good one too." The man said as he handed the pen and paper to Kahoko to fill up the remaining blank spaces. "There are a lot of people seeking new opportunities in the city today so apartments are quick to be full." He added and Kahoko signed her name. "Now, here's your key." The man said and handed the object to her. "To your room, then." The man led the way to the third floor.

The sign on her door read Room 271. Tohno-san said that there wasn't really significant with the room number but the owner just liked the numbers to sound like they were from some hotel. It was a pretty huge building with an annexed side if you walked farther on the corridor. There were about twenty rooms per floor and it was awfully quiet in this specific floor. The old man must have seen this through her expression. "This floor is usually like this. Most of the people who reside in here are either very busy or often out of town. It's a nice quiet place." He said and opened the door with his master key. He pushed open the mahogany door and let the girl step in first.

Kahoko was taken in blissful shock. The inside was filled with warm colors of the wallpaper and the wood paneled flooring. The two windows faced the streets and when you look out, you could get a pretty view of the bustling life of the city. The receiving area was also spacious enough to hold a sofa and two couches. An LCD TV was pinned on the west wall and on its flanks were two doors. "Door on left is bedroom. Door on right is bath. All are furnished already." He said. He then led the girl to the kitchen at the other side, connected to the receiving area by a door. It also had been furnished with the stoves and a sink. A small circular table was near the counter where two foldable chairs were arranged on it. A door was on the far side that led to a fire exit ladder.

"Well, that's about it. Not much of a grand unit but it's fitting for a sole person with nothing much to do." The man said as he was about to leave. "If you have any more questions, you can find me on the office at the first floor." He added and left Kahoko to herself. She rushed to the windows and looked below where the heads of people that walked looked like dots and she giggled like a child. She noticed that the sun was already setting. The blazing colors of orange and yellow danced on the blue and dimming sky above. A few stars were also beginning to mount on their positions. "Alright, time to get things fixed!" she said and hurried to get most of her luggage done.

Luckily for her, she was quite a swift worker so she got her stuff placed on their respective new places in about an hour. She then took her key and headed out to see the café where she would work. The moment she stepped out of the building, she immediately saw the sign of the café and quickly did her business. The owner was happy to hear of her safe journey. She was about to start her work tomorrow and as a gift, Kahoko was given a few pastries that the store offered to her. Now, she told herself, she wouldn't have a hard time thinking about dinner for tonight. She stopped by a convenience store and bought a few bottles of water. Maybe a good shopping would suit her tomorrow after work.

For the first time, Kahoko was eating dinner alone. And even breakfast and lunch as well. She suddenly felt like crying from this loneliness that she felt. She fought back a sob as she finished her second sandwich and gulped it all down with some tea. "Maybe I'll just call them tonight. It might help me sleep properly." She said as she was washing the cups and plates. "I'm sure they're worried and thinking what I could be doing now. I wonder if grandpa has taken his medicine now. And grandma's back, I hope it's not aching too much." She mused along as she went to get her towel. The bed and bath, though are in a separate room, still had that connecting door between them.

After rewarding herself with a good bath, she called her parents and relatives back home. She was right about them worrying about her. She apologized for the lateness of her calls and told them the things that had happened. She was almost tearful when she heard the somehow sad tone of their voices when she was talking to them. "I miss you all. I hope you are here with me." She said and a tear fell from her eye.

"It's all going to be alright, Kahoko." Her mother assured her. Even though they were so far from each other, her comforting and soothing voice still had effect on Kahoko. "Yes mother." She said.

When the time had come, Kahoko went to bed and closed her eyes. Although the unit was meant for a single person, the space was still considerably huge. Or maybe, she thought, she was just adjusting with the new environment. But even the bed was enough to hold two people!

"I should just sleep. I have a big day waiting for me tomorrow." She said and allowed the waves of slumber engulf her. Soon, the sound of the occasional passing cars and even the train lulled her into a deeper sleep.

She was starting to feel comfortable on the bed when she heard a soft clicking sound. She opened her eyes a bit but seeing that nothing seemed to change and that it might have been just a noise from the streets, she resumed sleeping.

The clicking sound came again, this time, louder. But she was just too sleepy to even comprehend what might be happening. She rolled to the farther side of the bed and curled. She even began to mumble a few things on her sleep.

Suddenly, a weight dragged down the other half of the bed and a loud and tired sigh escaped. Kahoko's eyes shot wide open and immediately turned. There lay a man with blue hair on the other side. The man also opened his eyes and turned to her as well. Both stared at each other for a moment before a duet of their scream of surprise resounded.


	3. The Intruder

**The Intruder**

"I'm really sorry. It was my fault." The old man said for the nth time as the two concerned figures were still silent. The woman was sitting on one of the couches and played with her shaking hands while the younger man was pacing along the entirety of the room. "No, it's not your fault. It was mine." The younger man countered.

"No, it was mine. I should have just-"

An exasperated sigh came out from the blue-haired man as the girl tried to join in the conversation again. "S-Sorry." Kahoko mumbled and lowered her head.

It turned out that the room was already taken by the man, Tsukimori Len. He went for a three-week trip abroad prior to Kahoko's inquiry about the rooms. Len thought that he might stay longer so he decided to give the key back for safekeeping, but had a duplicate just in case. He even wrote a small note about his departure on the desk. But for some reason, the note went missing and the key was the only thing that the old man found. Old Tohno phoned Tsukimori to ask about the key but he couldn't reach him. Turned out that the said lad wanted to have an undisturbed vacation and only brought his secret phone with him. Tohno, in turn, called at the owner and inquired. The woman didn't recall that Tsukimori was leaving the apartment for good but she told him that the she did, instead, recall a short conversation about his departure that might take him a long time. Since Tsukimori was often out and about, and left without much notice on the nature of his trips, the lady considered the room for sale. Besides, the room only served as a pit stop for him between his house and his work. If he does return, then she could easily sign him up on one of the other free rooms in her second apartment building. She was secretly being annoyed at his attitude of just going out for long periods of time without notice.

"There isn't any spare room in this building." Tsukimori said to no one in particular as he continued pacing. "I'm afraid so, Tsukimori-san." Tohno replied. "And no sign that somebody would be relinquishing their renting any time soon." He added.

"So…" Kahoko started, casting a careful look at the frowning and ready-to-kill Tsukimori Len. "What do we do now?" she asked meekly. She couldn't find it in herself to just stay quiet while a big problem, which deeply concerned her, was eating them all out.

With another annoyed sigh, Tsukimori stopped pacing, ran a hand over his face and crossed his arms. "I have an idea." He said and sent a sharp look at the red-haired woman. His blood began to boil again at the mere thought of her. "I'll agree to let her stay here until she finds another place for herself." He announced. Kahoko smiled and all her fears and worries melted away like a river at the start of Spring pushing away the snow that covered it during the Winter. "Thank you so much, Tsukimo-"

"Only for a month." He abruptly added. The girl's new and warmer image of the guy instantly changed back to the dark-cloaked and sinister reaper when he uttered the words. Well, she can't really say anything back. He was still the owner of the room and the declaration of the landlady was due to a mistake and a misunderstanding. He still had the final say in this situation. "O-Of course. One…month." She repeated, nodding slowly as she stared back to oblivion. Will she be able to instantly find herself a new place to stay in that short span of time? This place was too good to leave and she doubted that she could find, by herself, a similar unit for herself. She was friendless and on her own now. Just as she thought that she was getting settled firmly on this new ground, she was shoved away by a cruel intruder.

"Let's just deal more about this tomorrow. I've just landed and I don't feel like arguing anymore." Len said and loosened the tie on his neck. Tohno nodded and apologized again before getting out. Kahoko stood as Len took his coat in his arms. "Uhm…" she said as he was heading for the bedroom. "Let me just get my pillow and some blanket so you can sleep on your bed now." She said and stepped forward. "Uh, no." he stopped her, his voice a little softer this time. She saw how weary he looked and she felt a little bit guilty for keeping him awake when he should have been sleeping.

"I'll use the sofa. I suppose the spare pillows and blankets are still there?"

"Yes. Let me get them for you."

"Hino?" he called her softly.

"Is…there something else you need?" she replied in the same manner. The guy shook his head. "Nothing. I was just…confirming your name. Hino Kahoko, isn't it?" he answered. She smiled a little before hurrying to give the man his requested items. Out of protocol, they bid each other good night and called the day to an end.

Kahoko couldn't sleep much. The thought of the one month duration haunted her like a murderer lurking behind the shadows. She tossed and turned on the bed but she felt like sleep was evading her. She thought of her family back home. Naturally, she had to inform them of her current problem. She was sure that they would be much more worried about her. And they would be worrying again about her new lodgings.

Len wasn't used to sleeping on the sofa. He felt very uncomfortable and he kept on thinking about falling to the floor. Also, he was still feeling a little unsettled because he had just landed from his thirteen hour flight. The dizziness was buzzing around him and he got up several times. "And I even have a morning meeting. Great." He said and tossed himself on the sofa, which sent an audible creak. He wondered if he could bear the thought of sharing his prized unit with a total stranger. He wasn't the sociable type of person, that was very much of a given. "Heavens, spare me." He muttered before curling to his side and forcing shut his eyes…

The faint sound of footsteps trudging over the floor stirred him awake. Soon, the smell of freshly cooked hotdogs and eggs were carried on by the wind to him. He squinted at the shaft of sunlight that was illuminating the room. He heard some plates being taken from the cupboard and the sound of utensils being carried on. "Ah, good morning, Tsukimori-san. You're just in time for breakfast." Came the sound of his roommate's voice. He sighed as he got up and shook his head to wake himself. He was just about to tell himself that what happened last night was a wild dream. "What…" he said as he groggily stood. The weariness from last night's long flight was still lingering a bit. "Do you want to use the bathroom first?" Kahoko was beside him now. He gave an audible breath before heading to the said room. Somehow, she was worried if he can carry on with himself inside, considering his state.

"Well, at least he's not glaring." Kahoko told herself then resumed to make some coffee. She wondered if he liked it black or not. After about five minutes, Len got out of the bathroom, his face washed and his hair fixed. He looked a lot better now after getting some rest. He took a seat on the little table and began to eat. Kahoko carefully placed his cup of coffee on his side. "I didn't know what you liked for coffee so it's just black. Do you need the milk or sugar?" she asked, as she placed her own cup beside her plate. Len wiped the sides of his mouth before shaking his head. "No, black's fine. Thank you." He quietly said before resuming eating. Kahoko nodded to herself and took her own seat.

She stared at him through her lashes while they were eating in silence. She wondered if her cooking passed his standards. "So, uhm, I hope that-"

"I'll be out until lunch." He announced before taking a sip on his coffee, and interrupting her. "Do you have work today?" he added as he finished his meal. "Uh…yes, I have work until late afternoon." She responded. Although he spoke sharply, he was kind enough to consider telling her about his schedule. "I-I'll be doing some shopping for more supplies after work so I might be out a bit later." She added.

"Fine. I'll do dinner."

"Eh? Wont it be too much of a bother for you? I mean, you've just returned and you ought to be resting still. I'll just hurry with the shopping so I can get home early."

"I've been living by myself for almost five months so making dinner is not an issue for me." He replied before standing. "I'll just…get prepared and I'll be off. I have a meeting coming up. Excuse me." He said then left, with Kahoko staring at him as he left.

"At least he's not glaring at me." She whispered and finished off her own meal. While she was doing the dishes, and Len still busy preparing, she heard a knock on the door and hurried to get it. But just as she was about to leave the kitchen, the door swung open by itself. Immediately, Len came out from the bathroom, dressed again in a much finer suit, and shot dagger looks at the entryway. "Tsukimori-san…" she said but he held a hand up to shush her.

"I told you to wait for me to open the door for you instead of pick locking it." He announced as footsteps started to come to them. Soon, a woman with curly coffee colored hair and bright blue eyes emerged. "You were taking so long and-" she stopped when she noticed Kahoko. The redhead bowed at her and gave a greeting. "Oh," the new woman replied and a small yet sly smile appeared on her face. "Now this is good!" she exclaimed and proper herself on the nearest couch. "Uhm…shall I get you some coffee?" Kahoko asked, glancing from Len and the woman. "No, thanks. I had one already. You're so sweet, darling." She sang and winked at Len. "What are you doing here?" he asked the newcomer. The woman leaned and stretched her legs. "I heard you came back earlier than expected. Why didn't you tell me?" she said in a tone that depicted too much concern. "I was planning to surprise you. Obviously, it didn't work." He said and a smile appeared on his face. The woman chuckled and sighed dreamily. "I'll be waiting for that day to come." She answered and then looked at the still standing Kahoko. "So…" she said as she ran her eyes all over the redhead.

"Don't speculate too much. This is not what you think it is." Len said and fixed his sleeves. "Oh, then what do you want me to think of this, then?" the woman asked. Kahoko wondered if this woman was Len's lover. She seemed to be the only one who could talk to him that way. And the smile that he had shown was so tender and sweet, like she was very special to him. "It's an accident. I'll explain to you later." He said then looked at his watch. "Will you be riding with me again?" he asked as he got his keys from his pocket. The woman nodded and stood. "Yeah. I hate morning walks." She said then smiled at Kahoko. "You're cute." She remarked and Kahoko could only blush. "Nami, stop teasing her." Len chastised the blue eyed and walked to her. The lady called Nami slid her arm on Len's and they started to leave.

"It was nice meeting you, dear. I'm Nami Amou, this ice block's cousin. I'll see you again tonight!" she said and the two went out, leaving a baffled Kahoko behind the thick mahogany door of Room 271.


	4. The Dinner

**The Dinner**

The navy blue sportscar revved smoothly on the pavement as it traversed the early morning streets. Not much traffic was present so he had no problem navigating through. He always loved going out when there weren't much people going about. It's not that he hates humans or socializing but he was just really bad at it. Like, _really_ bad at it. He wanted to blame the genes for that but when he looked at their considerably small family tree, he would always return to the theory that he was just…born that way.

The air con unit blew towards him a small wave of cool air and he took in the failing scent of his car perfume. Dang, he thought. He forgot to buy one when he was out of town. Goods on that side of the earth were a bit cheaper but with still the same quality.

"So," a voice beside him reminded him that he wasn't alone and he just couldn't get into a trance by himself. He turned on a corner and stopped in front of a thin building. He pulled up the brakes and undid the safety belt hugging him. "What?" he asked as he removed the key on its holster. "Don't what me, Len." The woman responded in an airy whisper and began to remove her seatbelt as well but seemed to be having a bit of trouble with it. "Ugh, just…how do you do this…Len!" she shrieked as she gave up for a while. "Why can't you just buy the standard seat belts!" she hissed as the guy took the job to himself.

"Thanks." The woman said grudgingly. Len clicked the button that allowed all the locks inside the car to be opened. "Anything you want for dinner?" he asked as he took out his phone and checked his schedule once more. "Anything. Anyway, you can't escape me asking you who that girl was." She said, cradling her bag. "You said you'd be explaining things to me." She added, her blue eyes darkling.

Len sighed and finally looked back at her with cold golden eyes. "Everybody in that damned building thought that I left for good and now they had for rent. That girl chanced upon its opening and took it. Got it now?" he asked.

"And?"

"And…and what now?"

"There's still something I need to know, cousin." She purred.

He sighed a knowing one. "Oh, right. Of course you'd want to know why she's still there." He mumbled and put back his phone on his pocket. "I allowed her to stay in the room for a month. That's all I can give her to find new lodgings." He said.

"Cruel. Too cruel." The woman spat. "I was even generous. I was about to give her two weeks instead." He answered. "How can you not notice that she's a first timer here in the city? For goodness' sake, Len—"

"Nami, I give the final say. And if you think that I was still cruel and heartless then go ahead and take her in with you instead." He argued. The woman only looked at him with equally indignant eyes. She would have loved to take in the poor girl. She looked kind and nice to be a roommate of. That girl doesn't deserve to live with an anti-human like her cousin. But she couldn't. She herself lives in a smaller unit that was only enough for one person. And considering her type of work, she was sure that there would be no one else who would want to live with her.

Exasperated, she took her other stuff and got out of the car. "Pasta for dinner." She scowled before slamming the door. Len's eyes grew wide and rolled down his windows. "How dare you slam the door! I won't take you for a ride again!" he bellowed and Nami just looked back at him with a smug smile before going inside to the building. "Women." Len hissed before driving off to his destination.

Kahoko took a deep breath before taking a meek step inside the café. The other employees have just arrived and she gave each and every one of them a greeting and a bow. "Ah, Hino-san!" a voice called from the far end. Kahoko's eyes lit up with familiarization with the owner's voice. "Hihara-san! Good morning!" she said cheerfully. The green-haired young man greeted her back and chuckled. "You're early today! Good start, good start!" he said and motioned for her to follow him in the office. "Well, it's not much, Hino-san but-can I call you Hino-chan instead?" he asked in his ever so bubbly and contagious spirit. "A-Ah, yes, Hihara-san." She nodded quickly. A smile as bright as the noon sun sprawled across his face, making him look much younger. "I'll just ask you to sign some papers and you can start." He said and the two went to the office. As she was doing some of the paperworks, someone knocked. "Come in!" Hihara cheerfully said. Kahoko looked back and saw a tall guy with tanned skin emerge from behind. "Ah, Tsuchiura-kun! Good timing as usual!" Hihara pulled Tsuchiura inside.

"I-Is there any problem, sir?" Tsuchiura's deep voice filled the room. "I just want you to meet Hino Kahoko. She's the new waitress here, the one I told you a few days before. She just arrived yesterday." Hihara replied. Kahoko greeted him and they shook hands. "I'll be asking you to look out after her when possible. Can I count on you?" Hihara asked to which Tsuchiura replied with a nod and smile. "'Course, sir. Has she taken a tour of the café yet?" he asked. "No, I was just about to do that." Hihara answered. "I can sub for you if you want. I know you're to answer quite a handful of letters for the upcoming festival."

"Really? Oh, if it isn't too much! Please do!" Hihara beamed. He then turned to Kahoko and patted her shoulder. "Tsuchiura here will be guiding you around. He's a great guy and ask him anything you want to know." The boss added. Kahoko smiled at the two men. "Thank you very much! I'm in your hands!" she said as enthusiastically as possible.

"…And here is the pantry. It's name coded and there's a guide here by the door in case you still don't remember about the places of the ingredients." Tsuchiura showed her the room. Kahoko mused at how much stuff was inside. She felt excited about starting her new job. "And that's about it. You can call on others if there are things you still need clarifications." He said as the two headed out.

"Yes, Tsuchiura-san. I'll do my very best today and onwards!" She replied and she began her work. At the first few hours, she was constantly being guided by the guy. Kahoko took note of the things that were being done, the procedures and protocols and the names of the other employees. Because of her sunny and positive personality, she easily won the hearts of the customers, old and new.

"You're doing a great job, Hino-chan!" Hihara told her when she was taking her break. The girl blushed and waved her hands frantically in denial. "A-Ah, not really, Hihara-san. But thank you." She meekly said and bowed. "You are a very promising employee, Hino-chan. I can see brighter days ahead of us!" Hihara said before resuming to his own set of work.

"Brighter days…huh?" she repeated softly and her mood went down. She couldn't forget about her deadline, no matter how much hard work she exerts. She groaned and covered her face with her palms. "Really, what am I going to do?" she said to herself.

"Uhm…" a soft and meek voice interrupted her reverie. Kahoko immediately jerked her head up and saw the younger girl from the cash register. "F-Fuuyumi-san." Kahoko said and stood. The girl blushed and hid half of herself on the door. "I-I didn't mean to overhear you talking with yourself, Hino-san. I'm sorry." She said and ran away. "W-Wait! Fuuyumi-san!" Kahoko called back the girl. "It's okay. You don't have to feel bad about it. Besides, it was somehow my fault for not being too careful." She tried to cheer up the girl, who returned a still shy smile.

"Y-You can always talk to anyone if something b-bothers you. We'd be g-glad to h-hear you out and help." Fuuyumi told her. Kahoko's felt a wave of warmth and happiness from what the young girl had said and she felt like crying out to her but she knew that it was just her first day and it might be too much to suddenly pour out her mishaps. "Thank you, Fuuyumi-san." And the two went back to help.

It was almost sundown when she left the café. Even though it was her first day at work, she felt at ease almost easily with everyone and the environment. She made a few good conversations with the other employees. "Let's have a small party for Hino-san's first day at work!" somebody cheered and the rest agreed. Even Fuuyumi coaxed her to come with them. Kahoko felt their overwhelming and warm welcome that it was hard for her to decline. Soon, she found herself on a small restaurant and happily eating with the employees.

"Drink up, guys! It's on my name tonight!" Hihara said as he raised his glass. "For Hino-chan!" he started and the rest raised their own. "For Hino-chan!" they all shouted and their partying continued. Hino felt that maybe, even for just one night, she can forget about her big problem…

She felt like her heart was beating so loudly that she thought it would jump out of her chest. She was so ecstatic with the good environment of her work that she forgot about doing shopping and her roommate who had volunteered to do dinner. Although he had presented himself, she still felt obligated about doing it. Somehow, doing those chores was the only compensation that she could think about his consideration on her stay.

She saw from the streets that the lights were out on Room 271 but a faint light still broke through. She thought of his death glare and her hands immediately felt numb with coldness. She's really dead meat now. She took her steps lightly and tiptoed on the hallway. She took a deep breath when she reached their door before holding the knob. "Please don't let him be awake. Please don't let him be awake." She said and softly pushed the door and took a peek. The lights were all out except for a small lamp by the receiving area. She pushed it open further and snaked her way inside. She wasn't sure if he was still awake of what but all she needed to do was to make sure not to make a single noise and head to her room. When she reached the receiving area, she saw that there was no one sleeping on the couch. She went to the kitchen and saw that it was deserted as well. She tried to call him from the bathroom but it turned out that it was empty as well.

"Where…" she asked as she sat on the couch. She didn't have any way to contact him. It was quite deep in the night and she was worried about disturbing Tohno. She remembered that her roommate had a habit of suddenly disappearing at his own whim. "Why did I even consider worrying about his whereabouts?" she moaned and leaned her head on the backrest.

"Hino," Len's voice came in raspy and out of breath. She looked back at him and considered apologizing but she was too loss for words. She didn't even know how and where to start explaining.

"Tsukimori-san, I uh…I wasn't able to do the shopping and I'm really sorry about staying out later than expected and…" she stopped when she saw him give a relieved sigh. "You're back safely, I see." He said and started to drag himself to the opposite couch. "Uhm…"

"I went out for a while to see if you got lost. I assume you hadn't had your tour around the nearest blocks so I rode out to ask if somebody had seen you." He said as he started to relax. Kahoko was caught off guard at what he said and she felt bad at thinking like that about him. "I'm really sorry, Tsukimori-san. This wont happen again." She said and bowed. Len just nodded and closed his eyes.

"There's some pasta on the fridge. Just reheat it if you haven't had dinner yet." He said and Kahoko checked. Sure, there was a serving or two of the dish. She went back to thank him but when she went to him, he was already snoring softly.

"Thank you, Tsukimori-san. You might not seem to be so mean and cold, after all." She said and covered him with his blanket.


	5. The Neighbor

**The Neighbor**

Life seemed to be getting better for Kahoko. Although she was facing a huge problem regarding her lodgings, she could still wear a heartfelt smile and face the big city life she was now a part of. Work wasn't too much for her since everyone in the café was friendly and nice to her. Her boss was energetic and was always cheering everyone up which made her feel inspired to do her very best in everything. Maybe, living in the city was indeed her brightest idea.

She's only been in the city for two days and yet, Len felt that somehow, the little room that he had became livelier. Of course, it was given that there were two of them living in it and someone else was keeping it as orderly as possible. But Len couldn't shake off the littlest voice behind his mind saying that he did the right thing with letting the girl stay. He fought hard to suppress a smile but he couldn't win against it.

The following day was like the usual: she prepared breakfast for the two of them and his cousin would invade at her own whim. Apparently, the two ladies were beginning to be close to each other, much to his annoyance since that meant more reason for Nami to barge in. But he couldn't deny the fact that his once monotonous life gained a few color and a little excitement. They went to work after the chores were done, and they met again each other at sundown, just in time for dinner.

Kahoko didn't want to appear ungrateful so she decided to eat the pasta in his presence. While Len had some curry, she was being Italian. It wasn't her best choice of food but she had to admit that it was tasty. She wondered how much of a greater cook was he compared to her.

"Is there dirt on my face?" Len suddenly asked. Kahoko blinked and gave off a confused look in reply. Len wiped the sides of his mouth before leaning back. "You've been staring at me while I was eating. Is there something on my face?" he asked again. Kahoko flushed when she heard his explanation. "N-Nothing, Tsukimori-san. I just thought of something." She replied and resumed to twirling the pasta on her fork. Len just stared at her. "What were you thinking?" he asked again. Kahoko smiled and shook her head. "It's nothing to be taken too seriously. Please forget about it."

"Is it about the one month deadline I gave?"

Kahoko's face gradually fell. She bowed and set down her fork. Len took note of the sadness that killed of the light in her eyes. So…she was thinking about it.

It wasn't like that, Kahoko mentally replied. She didn't want this subject to come up. Especially between the two of them. She was still recovering from the blow that fateful night had done to her. She clutched the fork tighter and fought back the small rally of tears that were about to flow.

"I know a few rooms that you may like. I'll take you for a drive if you want." He said and stood. "Ah, that's too much, Tsukimori-san. I'll be okay." She said. Sure, she was happy to hear that he was willing to help her find her own place but somehow, that act of kindness didn't seem to be like him…like, he was just forcing himself to be kind to her. Len looked back at her and they stared at each other for a while before he nodded and told her that he would be taking a bath. "Just…continue eating." His last words rung like an unlikely echo in her ears. She had just lost her appetite.

Nami came later than usual. She said she was in the middle of a tedious work and she just dropped by to say good night. "You could have just called and not bother to come." Len muttered under his breath as he switched channels. The look in his eyes gave way to the idea that he wasn't really interested in any show that night. "Where's Hino-chan?" she asked as she stormed inside the kitchen. "She's already in her room. Don't disturb her. She might be sleeping already." He replied, still switching channels. Nami placed both hands on her waist and kicked Len's shin. The guy roared in pain as he clutched his injured leg. "Son of a…! What was that for?" he said, curling on the sofa and enduring the throbbing pain. Instantly, Kahoko was out of her hermit room and gasped at the scene. "Amou-san! Tsukimori-san! What happened here?" she asked. Nami winked at her and propped herself on the couch near Len's head. She patted it and chuckled. "Ah, nothing to be worried about, Hino-chan. He just needed a little reprimanding." She answered. "Reprimanding?" Kahoko asked again.

"I swear I'm not going to let this pass, Nami. Look, it's swelling!" Len slowly sat and checked the reddening area on his lower leg. Nami whistled and grabbed the remote from his side. "Tsukimori-san! That's…I-I'll go get some ice." She said and hurried to give aid to the man in pain. "I should have kicked you harder." Nami said lowly. Len glared at her and formed a fist. "I demand you to tell me why you did that." He hissed at her. If looks could really kill, Nami was butchered already.

"I know something happened between the two of you. And knowing your superb antisocial skills, you were, of course, at fault." She replied. Killing the TV. "What? And why does it always have to be me?" he raged on. "Are you really picking on me, Nami?" he squinted.

"No. Just as what I have told Hino-chan, you just needed a little reprimanding."

Len sighed and leaned back. He punched the sofa seat with exasperation. "Why did you became my cousin!" he said. Nami smirked at him. "That should actually be my line." She said. When Kahoko's form was coming out from the kitchen, Nami stood to leave. "Well, there's still a job I need to do. Catch up with you later." She sang and skipped out. Len hissed in pain as he tried to stand. He fell back on the sofa and let out another raged groan.

Kahoko kneeled by his foot and gently took his swelling leg. "I'll just apply some ice compress to it, Tsukimori-san." She said and did what was needed. Len jerked off a bit on the first contact of the ice but soon, he got used to its numbing blessedness. "From the looks of it, you're incapable of going out tomorrow." She mused as she inspected the swelling. "Most likely." He agreed. "But with enough rest I think your leg would be fine in two days. Look, the swelling is fading now and the lump's not too big anymore." She tried to cheer the guy.

"Thank you." Len said when Kahoko stood to get more ice. "It's…you're welcome, Tsukimori-san." She nodded. By this time, he was able to stand and do a bit of walking. "I can handle things now. You better go and rest. You still have work tomorrow." He said when Kahoko returned. "Are you sure about it? I can…ask for a leave if you need someone to stay with you until you're well." She replied. Len shook his head and limped a bit to get the remote on the couch. "You just started your work and asking for a leave is something…that is too much, considering your situation." He said and sat. "I'll be fine, Hino-san. Just go and sleep." He said and turned on the TV, a message telling her that she wasn't needed by him anymore. With a soft bow, she went to her room and left her antisocial roommate.

In the middle of her slumber, Kahoko was awakened by a soft music emerging from somewhere. She rose and scanned the area to see if it was her ringtone she was hearing instead. Upon knowing that it wasn't, she stood and noticed the open window. She looked out and tried to hear if the music was coming from outside but it only became fainter. "Where could it be coming from?" she asked herself as she settled down on her bed again. She closed her eyes and listened to the soft and floating notes of the music. What kind of instrument was that? She lay on her side and resumed to sleep as she let the enchanting music carry her away to her dreams.

"Tsukimori-san, do we have a musician neighbor?" Kahoko asked as they were having breakfast. Len was flipping through the newspaper and he took a look at her from above the pages. "Why do you ask?" he inquired. "Well, I heard someone playing some music last night. I thought it was from outside but I think it may be from this floor." She replied. Len just kept looking at her.

"Or it might be from your dreams." He muttered. Kahoko blushed with the realization that he was right. She chuckled and looked away from embarrassment. Len continued reading allowing awkward silence to fill the spaces.

Since Len was a homebody for the day, he helped Kahoko do the dishes, much to the latter's worry. Len still limped a little but the swelling was almost gone and he no longer needed an ice pack that often. Kahoko checked him one last time before she bid her goodbye.

"Hino-san,"

"Yes?"

Len paused, as if debating on how to tell her what he was about to tell. "The music you heard last night…" he trailed off. "What…about it, Tsukimori-san?" she asked softly with a smile.

"D-Did you like it?"

She wasn't sure why he asked but she nodded at him. "It was really beautiful, Tsukimori-san. If it weren't from my dream, I hope that you would have heard it." She said and walked out. Len nodded and limped to go watch some TV again.

"Nami isn't coming today and tomorrow. She'll just appear here when she wants." Len said when Kahoko was caught staring at the door. The girl blushed at this remark and smiled. "W-Well, somehow, I've grown accustomed to her coming here and joining us for dinner." She replied.

As Kahoko lay on her bed, she still thought about the enchanting music that she has heard last night. The melody felt like it was embedded on her mind. She hummed to herself the parts of the melody that she remembered. "I think I've heard this before." She murmured. She continued to hum the song until suddenly, she heard it again. This time, she was sure that it wasn't from her dreams or her imagination. She got up and captured the soft melody in her heart. A warm and comforting feeling came to her as the song continued. She swayed her head along the melody and smiled when she was able to memorize it.

"You look…happy this morning, Hino-san." Len commented as he brushed off the bread crumbs on his suit. "I heard it again, Tsukimori-san. The neighbor played the song again last night! Did you hear it?" she was as perky as the birds perched on the tree outside. "No, I was sleeping soundly." He shrugged a little. "Too bad! It was a really good song, Tsukimori-san." She said and dreamily sighed as she sat and began humming the song and Len nodded his head along. "Pretty, isn't it?" Kahoko's smile was as big as the Cheshire cat's.

"Ave Maria" Len said and stood."Eh?"

Len looked back at her and tilted his head. "The song you heard is called Ave Maria." He replied and gathered his bag. "Oh, so that's the song's title." Kahoko muttered. "I have a CD there that has it. You can borrow it if you want." He said and took his car keys. "T-Thank you, Tsukimori-san!" Kahoko was too happy. The glow in her eyes was back and Len felt happy that he was able to restore that. Nami wont be able to say anything anymore. "I'll be home earlier, Tsukimori-san. Would you want something specific for dinner?" she asked before the guy walked out. "You have pretty good cooking so anything is fine with me. I'm not really picky." He said and turned the knob. As he was about to step out, he looked back at her and the same hesitance from last night shadowed over his face.

"What is it, Tsukimori-san?"

A certain slyness masked his face. "I'm sure the neighbor is happy to know that you liked his playing. He deeply appreciates it." He said with a genuine smile.


	6. The Trip

**The Trip**

As Len walked to the kitchen, where Kahoko was doing her magic with their dinner tonight, he caught sight of a couple of envelopes on the counter. He took the collection of letters and read the return addresses. Turned out that the envelopes were the usual bills for water, power, and telephone. There were a couple of advertisements and notices that got in between. There were also three letters for Kahoko.

"Ah, Tsukimori-san. I see you noticed about the bills. I've sorted out your letters from mine. Here are the ones for you." She said as she grabbed a bundle of envelopes from under the counter. "You said you've sorted out the letters and these," he waved at the ones he was holding. "Are yours? These are bills, Hino." He said as he pulled the bundle to him. He mentally cringed at the thought that these envelopes would contain his usual letter nemeses…and he'd have to deal with them again. Most probably, these were the ones that had accumulated from his absence. So that's why Shouji-san was asking him if he has sent his replies…

Kahoko only shied away. She was thinking that she should try to help him with paying the charges. She thought of paying it without his knowledge since he seemed to be a very busy person. He looked like he was always worried of something or thinking deeply of something and she didn't want to add any more trouble to him. "Well, I just thought that maybe we can split the charges…" she whispered. Len sighed at her and began to take the power and telephone bills into his own stash. "You're just starting to earn money. You cant pay these in one go." He said and stood. "Tsukimori-san…!" Kahoko tried to follow him as he exited. He looked back at her and nodded. "I'll just be skimming the letters. You can go and eat ahead." He said and vanished from her vision. With a dejected sigh, Kahoko prepared the table.

She was halfway through when Len reappeared and joined her. The look on his face was gloomier than before. Kahoko brainstormed for a topic that could probably cheer her antisocial roommate. "I…" she started rather overly enthusiastic. "My parents wants to extend their regard on you, Tsukimori-kun." She said and quieted after Len simply nodded and silently ate his share. Kahoko felt a heavy cloud befall on her spot. She wasn't a really good cheer bringer.

"Dinner is…nice." Len commented, as if trying to win back the life of their conversation. Kahoko's eyes lit up and she felt a small smile come to her face. "Thank you, Tsukimori-kun. Although I think your cooking is far more commendable than mine." She replied.

"I'll be away for two days." Len suddenly said as he finished his meal. "Oh…" Kahoko gasped and nodded. "I…I wish you a safe journey, then." She said then excused herself to get some more water. She shouldn't be feeling a little bit crestfallen. She knew from before that he was a frequently away and this might probably one of those trips that she heard from Nami and Tohno. But she had already felt much more at ease with his presence around. She felt more at home when he was around. His silence was something that she had valued-even if they meant either good or bad.

"I'll be asking Nami to stay with you, if you want." Len searched her eyes for any hint of sadness when she returned. He somehow hoped that she would be affected with his absence. It was too much of him to ask, considering that they have only lived together for barely a week. And add to that the fact that they only almost saw each other during morning, at breakfast, and at dinner. Her presence made him realize how friendless he was and she had somehow opened up his mind about actually trying to talk to the people around him. And whenever both of them were back from their work, she always had a story to tell from her day's happening. It seemed like she had an infinite supply of stories to tell. He had something to look out for every day. And the food part was just an incentive. So, was it too much for him to ask her if she would miss him?

Kahoko shook her head and returned her warm smile that somehow catches his attention. "I'll be fine on my own. And I don't think two days is very long." she told him and began to do the dishes. She urged him to do his packing. She wanted him away from her so that he couldn't see that tint of loneliness forming inside her. She was bad at hiding her emotions and she didn't want Len to see how eerily she had responded on his announcement. She was in no place to feel too affected with his departure. They were merely roommates and in one month's time, she had to leave him. There was nothing different with those two, she thought. Either way, it only meant that they would have to part ways in due time.

"W-What time will you be leaving, Tsukimori-san?" Kahoko asked before they called it a day. "At dawn. You don't have to wake up early." He simply said and turned his back on her to continue checking his baggage. She wanted to ask him where he was going and what he was going to do there but he looked like he didn't want to inform her of those. With a soft sigh, she went to her room and actually tried to sleep.

True enough, when Kahoko woke up, it was silent inside their unit. It was as if time stood still or more accurately, time went slower for her. She didn't feel like going to work or even getting up from her bed. She told herself that she would see him off, at least but her constant worrying and thinking only made her sleep later in the night. "Oh well, I have work to do. And he said it will only be two days." She muttered.

"Good morning, Hino-chan! How was your sleep?" Nami's rather lively greeting embraced her first thing when she stepped out of the bedroom. "Ah…Amou-san, good morning. What are you doing here?" she asked the lady. "I heard from Ice Cube that he's going away for at least two days. He asked me if I can stay with you until he returns." Nami responded and shrugged. "Or that was how I interpreted it." She quickly added before giggling. "Anyway, I'm done cooking so…shall we?" a mischievous twinkle was on Amou's eternal blue eyes.

Despite Amou's attempt to cheer Kahoko and keep her mind from fleeting somewhere else, the redheaded country girl still couldn't stop herself from thinking about what Len might have told Nami to make her stay here. If her memory serves her right, this lady was a busy one. She didn't want to bother any other soul in this city. She also remembered that she made it clear to Len that she was fine by herself and he didn't have to get Nami to be with her.

"You're working on Hihahra's café, right?" Nami suddenly asked. Kahoko snapped out of her thoughts and gave a slow nod. "How did you know?" she asked back. Nami wrinkled her nose and clicked her tongue. "Hihara's a very nice guy. His parents are divorced and he's living with his mother. His father, on the other hand, is on Chiba with his new family. Hihara got the café from his uncle who has passed away six months ago. You can say that he's fairly new in the field but he's faring very well." Nami ignored the surprised look on Kahoko's face.

"Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, the tall green haired monster." Nami snapped her fingers. "He's the one with this towering height that makes kids scared of him." She added and Kahoko couldn't help but laugh in agreement. "But he's a really gentle and helpful guy. Once, he saved a young boy from being bullied and prior to that he always helps the elderly when trying to cross the street." She recounted again.

"How…"

"Fuuyumi Shouko, the timid girl on the counters." Nami stood and placed her hands on her hips, her eyes alive with enthusiasm. "Shy but golden-hearted. She's an only girl and daughter of a well-known businessman. She's very eager to make friends but her shyness gets ahead of her most of the times. She's very well loved by the elderly because of her refined manners." She finished off in one breathing. Kahoko was torn between gaping more at the amount of information that Nami had just told her and at giving an applause.

"Uhm…how did you know all of these?"

Nami chuckled and waved a finger. "No time to explain, princess. You have work to do. Run along and don't worry about the mess. I can handle this." She said and gently pushed Kahoko to the door. "See you later, Hino-chan!"

Hihara chuckled as Kahoko related to him about Nami's descriptions. "Ah, yes, Amou-san. I do know her. Everyone in town knows her." He said as he leaned on the counter Ryoutaro was cleaning. "She really did said that I was a monster?" Tsuchiura sighed. "Do I really look so scary?" he asked and Hihara just laughed louder. "But Tsuchiura-san is really kind." Fuuyumi joined the conversation. Kahoko nodded at the young girl's comment. "Yes, I do think so too. Tsuchiura-kun was really helpful on my first day here." She added but the scowl on the said man's face was ever present. "A towering monster! Bah!" he said and scoffed away. Hihara just waved a hand to them and told them ignore the guy's bitterness.

Kahoko brought home some cookies from the café to give to Nami. And surely, the lady was really thrilled to have those. "Good! Now we have something to munch on while having some heart to heart talk." And Kahoko knew she has no way of escaping her.

Cuddled on the floor, with their backs on the sofa, Kahoko and Nami munched the cookies while watching a movie. "What made you want to live here in the city? Country life's nice as well." Nami started. Kahoko smiled distantly at the thought of her family. "It's been my dream since I was a little kid. I fell in love with the city and I told myself that I would be living here no matter what." She answered softly. "I don't know what you guys see in the city. Maybe because I've been in it since I was born. Sometimes, the city is your big bad wolf." She said.

"Is…Does Tsukimori-san always do this? Having trips here and there within very short notices?" Kaho couldn't help ask. Nami swayed her head a bit before answering with a sad smile. "Yes."

"Do you miss him, Amou-san?"

"His company isn't too much for me but he's my cousin and the nearest to a family here in this jungle." She said and took another cookie. "How about you, Hino-chan? Do you miss him?" there was a certain slyness in her question. Kahoko stopped and blinked for a moment. She didn't know what to answer.

Not because she didn't want to say either yes or no but because she didn't know if she should even be answering that kind of question.

"Hino-chan?"

"I just hope he's safe." She replied and bid her goodnight. Nami smiled and continued to munch on her cookie.

The next day, Kahoko had her day off so she decided to finally do the shopping. She decided to make her way through walking to get herself more familiar with the city. She also planned on visiting some shops that were of her interest like gardening and stitching. She told herself that when she has earned enough money, she would bring her parents here and try to invite them to live with her. She would work hard everyday for that.

But for now, she had to, first look for a place for herself. Days are falling behind and she hasn't even taken a single step to finding one. So, she walked around and inquired for some rooms. Like what Tohno-san had said, it was the peak season for rents and she there were almost no rooms available for her. She learned that the season would end by next year.

She still tried to check on the other available rooms but they were all too inconvenient for her. Most of them were far from her work place and some were too expensive. She wondered if she can really find herself a place before the one-month deadline. Or else, she would have to return home.

"I'm sorry, Hino-chan. I have to go now. I received an urgent call from the office." Nami said as she fixed herself before going out. Kahoko had just got home from her expeditions and shopping. She had even barely put down the bags when the lady hugged and kissed her before rushing out. After a few seconds, Kahoko sighed as she was all alone again.

Kahoko wanted to wait until Len's return. After all, his two days is almost over. Maybe he would arrive late in the night. She tried to drink some coffee but the tiring day was just too much for her body to take. Soon, she had to call it a day and went to her room. She hoped that Len's two-day trip wouldn't get any other extension.

She woke up earlier than the usual. She prepared the best breakfast she could get from the fresh stocks that she got from yesterday's shopping. A certain glow filled Kahoko on that day and she was even humming a random tune. A smile was always plastered on her face no matter what she was doing.

By seven, Kahoko heard the lock of their door click and her heart fluttered like a thousand butterflies. "Tsukimori-kun," she whispered and immediately went to welcome him. Tears almost flooded her vision with an unexplainable warmth and joy she was feeling.

"Welcome back, Tsukimo-" Her words were cut when she saw the look of gloom on Len's face. He just walked past her and muttered a greeting. "I'm leaving again for work. Have a nice day." He said, leaving his bag on the side and walking out the room.

A small tear fell from Kahoko's eyes as the scent of Len's perfume faded instantly just has how he did from her vision.


End file.
